Ironing device



Jan, 1, r

E. E. FOSTER IRONING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Shet 1 Original Filed Nov. 17] 1952 lllll I Inveno r' Edwin E. Fosfer',

E; E. FOSTER 'IRONING DEVICE Jan. 1, 1935.

2 SheetsSheet 2 Original Filed Nov. 17, 1932 Sna /m Patented Jan, 1, 1935 UNITED STATES r momma mmon Edwin E. Foster, Austin, Tex.

ApplicationNovember 17, 1932, Serial No. 643,092" Renewed March 27, 1934 The present invention relates to an ironing device and particularly to a counterweighted or balanced iron. It is an object of this invention to construct a device to be attached or secured to an ironing board or to a wall or other support, so

.that the weight of the iron is counter-balanced and the influence of such counter-balance is removed while operating the iron. It is a further object of this invention to counterweight the iron support and also the iron itself, and to provide for adjustability of these two weights or counterbaiances.

It is a still further object 'of this invention to 7 remove the influence of the iron counterweight by a movement or manipulation of the handle bf the iron through the arm supporting the iron when the iron has been moved adjacent the material to be ironed. Also'the weight of the iron may be decreased or increased for a specific eil'ective ironing pressure even when the iron is on the board.

Further objects will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

- Figure *1 is a plan view of the ironing device-according to one form of, the invention showing by dot and dash lines the outline of the ironing board and also having certain parts removed Fig. 2 is a side view of the ironing device and board,

Fig. 3 is an end view partlyin section of adetail taken on line 3- -3 of Fig. 2f

.Fig.--.4 is a top view ofia modified construction of an ironing device, and

Fig. 5 is a side view of the shown in Fig. 4,

Referringtol 'igs.ito3,theironingboardlis mounted on a metal plate or frame 2 by means of screws or the like, through the holes 87 and is supported upon a central leg 3 secured to the plate.- The leg and board are preferably adjustable for height by means of asuitable base or form of device tripod legs, not shown, having rollers on two rear legs; Fixed to the plate member 2 is a vertical and cylindrical guide rod 4 ,upon which a sleeve member 5slides. This sleeve maybe fitted with suitable bearings and is free to move up and down and also to revolve. The sleeve 5 carries and supports'the linked arm '38 on which is mounted theiron 28. 'ihis armconsistsofthreerodsor sections 6. 7- and 8 pivbtally Joined or linked and to end as shown. -A chain orcord Qsecured to the arm 6,and the leg 8 prevents theiarm6 fromre'volving more than approximately 150"degrees r'around the rod 4]...

- The sleeve member 5 is provided with disc sv 10 and 11- which are rigidly secured on the sleeve 5 in spaced relation to receive the rollers 12 and 13 therebetween. The roller 12 is mounted on" one end of a guide lever 14 by means of a short axle 39, the lever having a bearing or fulcrum terweight 16 is moved further away from'the fulcrum, it will lift the weight'of the arm- 38 and sleeve 5, as well as apart of the weight of the iron itself. Furthermore, the coimterweight 16 acts upon the disc 10 tending to force the sleeve 5 upwardlyat all times. 7

Another counterweight 18 is provided which acts with the counterweight 16 and supplies enough additional weight to balance the weight of the iron '28 itself. This counterwei ht 18 is slidably mounted on a second lever 19 cooperating with a connecting lever 20 having a short axle 40 and a roller 13 thereon contacting betweenthe discs 10 and 11. The lever 19 is designed to cut out or-remov'mthe influence of the counterweight 18 at the desired time, which latter, however, va-

a The two counterweights 16 and 18 are connected together ,by a member which is preferably in the form of a flexible wire 32 which is guided by the curved tubes 30 and 31 flxed-to-the brackets 33 and 34, respectively, and which latter are fixed to the levers 14 and 19, respectively. The shait l'lishollowtoallowfthewireutopusstherethrough. The object of'this connection is to allow the elective weight of the counterweight 16 to be varied-but to cause the efiective total weight of eounterweights-is and is to remain constant. 'Iheoperatormaymakethischangebymoving thehandie 35 orthe handlesdwhichisutilised to'secure the ends to the counterweight's. ,I'f'the operator is left-handed the. arm member 7 maybechanged to the opposite side of the board The counterweight 16 acts upon the disc 10 atalltimes. counterweight 18actsupon,

lotoaidtheweight 16 toliftthe'armand iron assembly when lime iron is being lifted, but

is cut out while the pressing operation takes Thedrawings show the iron halfway between its'extreme upper position and its lower position,

which is app oximately the surface of the ironing 18 is made up of two sections, 19 and 20, each of which is pivoted about the fixed shaft 1'7. The lever 19 which carries the slidably mounted counterweight 18 on one end, is curved upwardly at its other end 41, Fig. 2, and on theend thereof is a pin 23. Lever 20 on the pivot end, which is the short end of this lever, is provided with a short connecting link 21 pivotally mounted at 26. This connecting link 21 has a roller 24 on its upper end which is adapted to roll against a cam 25, mounted on the plate member 2. As will be seen in Fig. 2, the pin 23 rides or is guided in the slot 22 of the link 21. The cam 25 is'circular, with the center of the shaft 17 as the center of. the circle- During the part of the stroke inwhich the roller 24 contacts against the circular section of the cam 25, the arms 20 and 19 will remain in a straight line, and the weight 18 will act upward upon the disc 10 to counter-balance the iron.

When, however, the disc 10 is lowered by pushing down on the handle 27 of the iron to such an extent that the roller 24 rolls off the circular section of the cam 25, as shown at 24', the arm 20 may continue to move downward about its fulcrum 1'7 without, however, lifting the arm 19. In this position the influence of the counterweight is against the end surface 42 of the cam but not against the disc 10 thereby removing the influence of the counterweight 18 from theiron so that the iron will press its weight on the material to be ironed. When, however, the arm 38, member 5, and the discs 10 and 11 are again moved upward, the roller 24 will roll off the end surface 42 of the cam and onto the circular section 25, and thus the influence of the weight 18 will again be avail.- able for lifting the iron. Therefore, it will be apparent that the point of change has a definite relation to the position of the sleeve 5 upon the guide member 4.

As clearly seen in Fig. 2, the iron is not fixedrigidly to the arm 8. The iron may revolve and also move up and down with relation to arm 8. The handle 2'7 of the iron 28 acts as the long end of a lever to force the arm 8 downward after the iron itself is resting upon the surface of the ironing board 1 or on the material to be ironed. A compression spring 29 is-provided which tends to lift the arm 8 upward with respect to the iron.

allowed to touchthe surface of the ironing board,

the roller 24 should still be on the circular section of the cam 25, but at its very end just ready to roll off. Then when the weight of the operator's hand upon the lever handle 2'7 forces the arm 8 downward and in turn the arms. '7 and 6 and the sleeve 5 still further, the roller 24 rolls off the circularsection 25 of the cam, and the influence of the counterweight 18 is removed. The point of change occurs about half way of the stroke of the handle 2'7. Any difference in thickness of the material being ironed would vary this change point in relation to the stroke of the iron handle .27. For instance, if the garment is unusually thick the change would occur when the handle had been moved downward through approximately three fourths of its stroke instead of one half. Then when the weight of the operators hand is removed from the handle 2'7,- the spring 29 lifts the arm 8 past the change point and the iron again becomes counter-balanced.

The ironing device, thereforewfl relieve the operator of the. necessity of lifting'the weight of the iron at any time. The weight of the iron is V balanced by the counterweights and has the effect is being removed from or to the ironing board and is kept suspended while the garment is being arranged, Then when the iron is brought in contact with the board and the weight of the operators hand is applied downward upon the handle of the iron, the influence of one of the counterweights is removed and the iron presses downward upon the garment with its own weight. The other counterweight continues to balance the weight of the flexible or jointed arm leading to the iron. Assuming that the iron weighs ten pounds and that the operator wishes the iron to have an effective-weight upon the garment of less than ten pounds, then by a simple adjustment, that is, sliding the counterweights,-the desired pressure is attained without disturbing the balanced condition of the iron when it is again removed from the board. In other words, as far as the operator is concerned, the iron appears to be counter-balanced and will remain suspended in mid-air, but its effective ironing pressure may be easily and quickly varied from a maximum to a minimum. The iron may be moved to any position upon the ironing board without affecting the balanced condition.

In the form of the invention according to .Figs. 4 and 5, the ironing device is removably attached to the wall 50 instead of to the ironing board 1, in order that a special ironing board be not required; Thus the regular folding ironing board or drop board may be utilized. The arm 51 of the ironing device is patterned somewhat after the human arm with the bearing 52 as the shoulder, the bearing 53 as the movable elbow, and the joint 54 as the wrist. By placing the board in the correct location'in relation to this fixed shoulder 52, any desired position on the board can be reached by the iron 28 as, for instance, is indicated by the dotted line position 55. When the iron is not in use itcan be folded into a compact position against the wall as shown by dotted lines 56 in Figure 4. The ironing device may be removed from a fixed socket 57 which is screwed permanently to the wall 50.

lever 63 is utilized primarily to complete the linkage. The pin 61 revolves in the bearing 64 which preferably forms a part of the arm 65, but it is keyed or otherwise secured to the bar 62 and to the guide lever 66 by cotter pins or other suitable means." The bar 62 and the guide lever 66 always remain in a straight line and the counterweight 16 slidably mounted on the lever 66 always acts downward to lift .the arm 51 upwardly. A second lever 6'! is rotatably mounted on the pin 61 and is provided with a counterweight 18. A short arm 68 is preferably welded directlypn the end of the pin 61, and it carries on its end a connecting pin 69. A connecting link '70 is pivotally mounted on the pin 69 and is provided with a slot 71 and a roller '72 on ,the end. thereof. The lever 67 also has and projecting into the slot '71 of the connecting link '70.

The cam :75 is suitably secured on the arm 65 in such a position that it is directly above the lug 73. This cam has two cam surfaces thereon, one surface '16 being curved and a shorter surface '77 being straight. The operation these various elements is the same as described in connection with the construction according to Figs. 1 to 3 and that is that the second lever 67 remains in-va straight line with the lever 62 '72 contacts or rolls on the curved cam portion -.76. However; when the levers 62 and 6'! have rotated at the same time rotating the pin 61' and the-arm 68 tosuch an extent that the roller- 72 rolls oi! the curved cam portion 76 and onto the straight portion '17, the weight of the counterbalance 18 then acts directly against andon the straight cam section 77 but not on the arm 62 because of the slot 71 in the connecting link 70.

As in theconstruction according to Figures 1 to 3, the counterweights 16 and 18are adjust- 1 ably mounted by sliding themsimultaneously on their arms 67 and 66. The counterweights are connectedto each other by means oi a flexible wire 32 which is secured to a handle 35 for the counterweight 16, and a handle 36 for thecounterweight 18. 'This wire '32 slides in a tube 78 which is secured on a support 79 on each of the arms 66-and 67. a

The iron 28 is provided with a handle 27 which is pivotally mounted on a supporting member 80 about the pivot 81. Furthermorathe handle is provided with an operating lever 82 whichv .has a right angle portion 83 and contactsin' a spool-like member 84. when the iron is pushed 4 down by means of the handle 27:30 that it just contacts the board,'a further pressure ofthe hand will cause the operating lever 82 to be moved downward which acts on the spool to move it down relative to the supporting member 80. This will cause the arm 51 to be moved down sufliciently so that the roller .72 rolls onto the straight cam surface "(7 to thereby remove the influence of the counter-balance 18 from the iron. A tension spring 85 is connected at one end to the handle 27, and at the other end to the supporting member 80 so that the handle 27 will be lifted w e Operator's nd'is'remo d for the iron; and means operable by actuation and thereby. the roller '12 will roll hem the surface 77 to the surface 76 inorder to restore the weight of the counter-balance 18 on the iron.

As in the'construction according to Figures 1 to 3, the weight 16 is for the purpose of continuouslvcounter-balancing at all times the weight 01 the arm" 51 which or course includes the-,quadrilateral linkage, but weight 18 counterbalances merely the iron as stated. e

As clearly shown in Figure 5, the arm as ro- 'tat'es around the bearing 52;which is on a short arm 86.. This short arm 86 has a right angle member 87 which flts into the socket 57.. The; right angle member 87. is provided with suitable actuation of the handle relative to the iron and.

through the arm to remove the influence of the counter-balance after the iron .has been moved 'adjacentthe material to be ironed.

2. An ironing device comprising an iron having ,anoperating handlez'a linkedarm on one end of the iron, after the iron has been moved adjacent the material to be ironed.

3. An ironing device according to claim 2, in

which the counter-balances are adjustably mounted relative to each other. 1

4; An ironing device comprising an iron having a pivoted operating handle; a linked arm on one end of which the iron ismovably mounted; a'sleeve for supporting the arm secured .to the other end thereot; a counter-balance for the arm operable through the sleeve; a counter-balance tor the iron operable through the sleeve; and means operable by the handle of the iron through the arm and sleeve toremove the influence of the counter-balance oi the iron aiterthe ironhas been moved adjacent the material to be ironed.

5. Anironing device according to claim 4, in which the counter-balances are adjustable relative to each other. v

6. An ironing devicecomprising an iron having an operating handle; a linked arm for the a counter-balance tor the iron operable through the sleeve and. arm; and meansoperable by the handle of the iron to remove the influence oi the counter-balance aiterthe iron has been moved adjacent the material-to be ironed.

"I. An ironing device comprisingan iron having anoperating handle; an arm for movably supporting said iron; counter-balance means for said arm and iron; and means operable by the handle of the iron through the arm to remove the influence of the counter-balance after the iron has been nioved adjacent the material to be ironed. I

8. An ironing device according to claim 7, in which the arm comprises a number of linked sections, and, the counter-balance means com-.

prises a pair of counter-balances of which one is for the arm and the other tor the iron.

#9. An ironing device comprising aniron having an operating handle; counter-balanced means iron; a movable sleeve for supporting the arm;

ed the handle relative'to the iron and through I said first-named means to remove the influence of the counter-balance after the iron has been ing a pivoted operating handle; a linked arm on one end of which the iron is movably mount- 'ed: a sleeve for supporting. the arm secured to the other end thereof; aplate which is adapted to be secured to'an ironingboard; a guide rod vertically mounted on said plate and on which the sleeve is vertically movable; a counter-balance, for the arm operahle through the sleeve; a. counter-balance for the iron operable through the sleeve; and means pperable by the handle of the iron throughthe arm and sleeve to remove the influence of the counter-balance oi the'iron after the iron has been moved adjacent the material to be ironed on-the board.

11. An ironing device to claim 10, in'which the counter-balances are adjustable relative to eachotherr 12. An ironing device comprising an iron having a, pivoted operating handle; a linked arm on sleeve for supporting the arm secured to the other end thereof; a plate which is adapted to be secured-tq-an a guide rod vertically one end 01' which the iron is movably mounted; a v

counterweight of the iron after the iron has been moved. adjacent the material to be ironed on the board. a

13. an ironing device according to claim 12, in which the counterweights are adjustably mounted on the levers relative to each other.

14. An ironing device according to claim 12, in which the lever for the'iron counterweight is in two sections, one of which carries the counterweight and the other contacts with the discs and both being pivotally mounted about the same pivot and in which means are provided sothat the weight of thecounterweight will not be transferred to the section of the lever which contacts with the discs when the iron is adjacent the material to be ironed.

15. An ironing device comprising an iron having a pivoted operating handle; a linked arm on one end of which the iron is movably mounted; a plate which .is adapted to be secured to an ironing board; a guide rod vertically mounted on said plate and on which the other end of the arm is vertically movable and rotatable; a double armed lever having acommon pivot mounted on the plate and one section of the lever cooperating with the linked arm; a counterweight on the other section of the lever to counterbalance the iron; a cam on the plate; and means operable by the handle of the iron through the arm, the lever, and the cam to remove the influence of the counterweight, after the iron has been moved adjacent the material to be ironed,

. by transferring the weight of the counterweight on. the cam instead of the section of the lever cooperating with the linked arm, the section of the lever having the counterweight thereon having a curved up portion cooperating with a con-- necting link pivotally mounted on the other section of the lever, and the connecting link havin'g'a roller on the end thereof adapted to contact with the cam. Y

16. An ironing device comprising an iron having a pivoted operating handle; a linked arm on one end of which the iron is movably mounted a plate which is adapted to be. secured to an' ironing board; a guide rod vertically mounted on said plate and on which the other end of the arm is vertically movable and rotatable; a double armed lever having a common pivot mounted on the plate and one section of the lever cooperating with the linked arm; -a counterweight on the other section of the lever to counter-balance the iron; a cam on the plate, the section of the lever having the counterweight thereon having a curved up portion cooperating with a connecting link pivotally mounted on the other section of the lever, and the connecting link having a roller on the end thereof adaptedto contact with the cam; and means operable by the handle of the iron through the arm, the lever, and the cam to remove the influence oi' the counterweight, after the iron has been moved adjacent the material to be ironed, by transferring the weight or the counterweight on the cam instead of the section of the lever cooperating with the linked arm, the cam having a curved portion and a straight portion whereby when the roller which is controlled by the handle of the iron rides on the straight portion, the weight ofthe counterweight will bear against the cam instead of the other section of the lever.

1'7. An ironing device comprising an iron having an operating handle; an arm on which the iron is supported, including a quadrilateral linkage to permit the arm to be raised and lowered; a counter-balance for the iron cooperating through the arm and with the linkage; and means operable by the handle of the iron through the arm and linkage to remove the influence of the counter-balance after the iron has been moved adjacent the material to be ironed.

18. An ironing device according to claim 1'7 in which the quadrilateral linkage is in the form of a parallelogram,

19. An ironing device according to claim 17 in which means are included for removably mounting the device on a vertical wall.

20. An ironing device comprising an iron having an operating handle; an arm on one end of which the iron is movably mounted and including a linkage on the other end in the form of a parallelogram to permit the arm to be raised and lowered; a counter-balance means for the arm cooperating with the linkage; a counter-balance means for the iron cooperating with the linkage; and means operable by the handle of the iron through the arm and linkage to remove the infiuence of the counter-balance of the iron after the iron has been moved adjacent the material to be ironed. I

21. An ironing device according to claim 20, in which the counter-balances are adjustably mounted relative to one another.

22. An ironing device according to claim 20, in which a second arm is provided, a portion of which forms one side of the linkage and which is rotatably mounted on a short arm.

23. An ironing device according to claim 20, in which a second arm is provided, a portion of which forms one side of the linkage and which is rotatably mounted on a short arm, and in which a cam is mounted on'the second arm and is provided with a curved portion and a straight portion cooperating with one arm of the linkage so that when cooperating with the straight portion the weight of the counter-balance will be removed from the iron.

24. An ironing device comprising an iron having an operating handle; an arm on one end of which the iron is movably mounted and including a linkage on the other end in the form of a parallelogram to permit the arm to be raised and lowered; a counter-balance means for the arm cooperating with the linkage; a counter-balance means for the iron cooperating with the linkage;- a second arm provided with a portion thereof which forms one side of the linkage and which is rotatably mounted; a cam mounted on the second arm provided with a curved portion and a straight portion; a connecting link cooperating at one end with one ofthe bars of the linkage andicontacting at the other end with the cam; and means operable by the handle of the iron through the arm to remove the influence of the counter-balance of the iron after; the iron has been moved adjacent the material to be ironed and when the connecting link moves from the curved. portion to the straight portion of the cam whereby the weight of the iron counter-balance is taken up I against the straight portion of the cam.

25. An ironing device according to claim 9, in which means are provided to removably mount the device adjacent an ironing board.

26. An ironing device, comprising an iron having an operating means; an arm on which the and through the arm to remove the influence of the counterbalance after the iron has been moved adjacent the material to be ironed. v

27. An ironing device, comprising an iron; an arm on which the iron is mounted to permit lateraland vertical motions; counterbalance means for the iron associated with the. arm; counterbalance means for the arm; and means operable from the iron through the arm to remove the influence of the, iron counterbalanceafter the iron has been moved adjacent the mate- 10 rial to be ironed. 

